Beijing-based MAD Architects and Chicago-based Studio Gang Architects just unveiled their futuristic designs for “Star Wars” creator George Lucas’ Museum of Narrative Art in Chicago. The undulating, organic design is consistent with the style of MAD Architects, a firm that has produced numerous mountain-like buildings in the past. Studio Gang Architects is in charge of the site’s landscape architecture, as well as the bridge design that will connect the museum to Northerly Island.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/mad-architects-and-studio-gang-unveil-designs-for-futuristic-george-lucas-museum-of-narrative-art-in-chicago/feed/0Heavy Rainfall in Chicago Causes Sewage to Spew into Lake Michiganhttp://inhabitat.com/heavy-rainfall-in-chicago-causes-sewage-to-spew-into-lake-michigan/
http://inhabitat.com/heavy-rainfall-in-chicago-causes-sewage-to-spew-into-lake-michigan/#commentsFri, 19 Apr 2013 16:00:30 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=503698Heavy rain overwhelmed Chicago's aged infrastructure yesterday, causing sewage to back up into homes and burst through manhole covers in the middle of the street. The videos make for pretty horrifying viewing, but equally horrifying is how the pressure on]]>

Heavy rain overwhelmed Chicago’s aged infrastructure yesterday, causing sewage to back up into homes and burst through manhole covers in the middle of the street. The videos make for pretty horrifying viewing, but equally horrifying is how the pressure on the system was alleviated: through a last resort measure that allows runoff and wastewater to be released into Lake Michigan. And this isn’t a one-off, as Chicago has experienced ever increasing rainfall, over 21 billion gallons of wastewater and runoff was released into Lake Michigan between 2007 and 1012.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/heavy-rainfall-in-chicago-causes-sewage-to-spew-into-lake-michigan/feed/0Balance Associates’ Sustainable Metal-Clad Tower House Overlooks Michigan’s Glen Lakehttp://inhabitat.com/balance-associates-sustainable-metal-clad-tower-house-overlooks-michigans-glen-lake/
http://inhabitat.com/balance-associates-sustainable-metal-clad-tower-house-overlooks-michigans-glen-lake/#commentsFri, 01 Mar 2013 17:38:59 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=487898The Tower House was placed on top of a wooded hill where it is possible to spot Lake Michigan on a good day. The client wanted to build a "sustainable retreat" that would preserve the area's "timeless beauty" and "simple comforts." The tall and narrow plywood]]>

]]>http://inhabitat.com/balance-associates-sustainable-metal-clad-tower-house-overlooks-michigans-glen-lake/feed/0Construction to Begin on Studio Gang’s Ambitious Northerly Island Park in Chicagohttp://inhabitat.com/construction-to-begin-on-studio-gangs-ambitious-northerly-island-park-in-chicago/
http://inhabitat.com/construction-to-begin-on-studio-gangs-ambitious-northerly-island-park-in-chicago/#commentsMon, 06 Aug 2012 13:32:44 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=420877Northerly Island was part of Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago; it was one of several manmade islands included in the plan, but it ended up being the only one that was actually built. In 2003, then-Mayor Daley ordered workers to bulldoze large X's in the]]>

]]>http://inhabitat.com/construction-to-begin-on-studio-gangs-ambitious-northerly-island-park-in-chicago/feed/1Report Finds Great Lakes Ice Cover Has Decreased a Whopping 71 Percent in 40 Yearshttp://inhabitat.com/report-finds-great-lakes-ice-cover-has-decreased-a-whopping-71-percent-in-40-years/
http://inhabitat.com/report-finds-great-lakes-ice-cover-has-decreased-a-whopping-71-percent-in-40-years/#commentsWed, 14 Mar 2012 15:24:38 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=362811If you live near the Great Lakes, you've probably noticed that recently they've been better suited to kayaking than ice fishing. A new report published by the American Meteorological Society now confirms what people living near North America's greatest fresh]]>

If you live near the Great Lakes, you’ve probably noticed that recently they’ve been better suited to kayaking than ice fishing. A new report published by the American Meteorological Society now confirms what people living near North America’s greatest fresh water resource have long observed: because of climate change, Great Lakes ice is in severe decline. Using a combination of satellite photos and Coast Guard scanning from 1973 to 2010, researchers found that Great Lakes ice cover has dropped by an average of 71 percent.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/report-finds-great-lakes-ice-cover-has-decreased-a-whopping-71-percent-in-40-years/feed/0PierESCAPE: Aedas Envisions a Series of Outdoor “Dock-Like Extensions” for Navy Pier in Chicagohttp://inhabitat.com/pierescape-aedas-envisions-a-series-of-outdoor-dock-like-extensions-for-navy-pier-in-chicago/
http://inhabitat.com/pierescape-aedas-envisions-a-series-of-outdoor-dock-like-extensions-for-navy-pier-in-chicago/#commentsWed, 08 Feb 2012 15:18:00 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=351822Aedas Architects and a team of other world-class consultants and designers have conceived of PierESCAPE: a series of outdoor "dock-like extensions" aimed at revitalizing Chicago's famous Navy Pier. This proposal promises to strengthen connections between the]]>

Aedas Architects and a team of other world-class consultants and designers have conceived of PierESCAPE: a series of outdoor “dock-like extensions” aimed at revitalizing Chicago’s famous Navy Pier. This proposal promises to strengthen connections between the city and nature, and between civic space and culture in a manner that is exciting, enriching, and sustainable, according to Arch Daily. Step in to see a quick video by Aedas which details their vision for this iconic urban space.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/pierescape-aedas-envisions-a-series-of-outdoor-dock-like-extensions-for-navy-pier-in-chicago/feed/0Invasive Species Threat Inspires Jeanne Gang to Reimagine Chicago’s South Sidehttp://inhabitat.com/invasive-species-threat-inspires-jeanne-gang-to-reimagine-chicagos-south-side/
http://inhabitat.com/invasive-species-threat-inspires-jeanne-gang-to-reimagine-chicagos-south-side/#commentsTue, 03 Jan 2012 23:44:24 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=340129When an environmental problem arises and the Army Corps of Engineers fails to act, leave it to an architect to pick up the reins. The Great Lakes, a vital source of fresh water, are threatened by Asian carp, an invasive species with no known predators. Architect]]>

When an environmental problem arises and the Army Corps of Engineers fails to act, leave it to an architect to pick up the reins. The Great Lakes, a vital source of fresh water, are threatened by Asian carp, an invasive species with no known predators. Architect Jeanne Gang has proposed a solution that would create a barrier between the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan, restoring the natural flow of the Chicago River while also helping to introduce green infrastructure and revitalize a neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.